Petunia plant named `Liricashower Rose`

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a new and distinct decumbent type Petunia plant named `Liricashower Rose`, having compact growth habit bred from crosses made in Japan from South America commercial Petunias of creeping growth habit. The new variety is strongly branching with a great profusion of blooms. The flowers are single and small with bright purplish rose colored petals. The plant is highly resistant to rain, heat, and drought.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant,hereinafter referred to by the name `Liricashower Rose`. `LiricashowerRose` Petunia originated from a hybridization made in 1991 by theinventors Masao Bessho, Seiji Nakamura, Hitoshi Kojima at Sakatas SeedCorporation, Kakegawa breeding station in Kakegawa, Japan. The femaleparent was a bright purple red, creeping habit plant with breeder code1C-1 and the male parent was a bright purple red, creeping habit plantwith breeder code 3M-1. Both parents originated from the commercialmarkets in South America. The crosses (breeder code F₁) were pollinatedin the early spring of 1992 to obtain breeder code F₂ seed. Theresulting F₂ seeds were sown in the summer of 1992 for selection ofbetter creeping and branching habit. Subsequent selected plants weremaintained by vegetative propagation by cutting. The primary asexualpropagation occurred in 1992. In 1993, cuttings from the plants werefield grown for further selection of desired traits. Again in 1994, thecuttings of selected plants were field grown for final selection andevaluation for stability of desired traits. These asexual reproductions,of the final selection, by cuttings and field grown trial planting wereperformed at the Sakata Seed America, Inc. research station at Salinas,Calif., and the Sakata Seed Corporation breeding station in Kakegawa,Japan under the direction and supervision of the inventors. Theinvention, `Liricashower Rose` Petunia, after three years of successivevegetative propagation by cuttings was determined by the inventors tohave its combination of characteristics as herein described firmlyfixed.

`Liricashower Rose` is a new variety of Petunia plant having a decumbentand compact habit. The plant has abundant branching and a largeprofusion of blooms and makes an excellent presentation in hangingbaskets. The flowers are single, small in size (2.9 cm) and petals are abright purplish rose color (R.H.S. 74A). The plant is highly resistantto rain, heat, and drought. The plant grows and flowers best under lowsoil pH conditions (5-6pH). Typcially, young flowers will close underlow light and low temperature conditions such as conditions late in theday and at night.

The new cultivar is distinguished from any other Petunia plants of whichwe are aware by its purplish rose color, and excellentcreeping-branching habit and large profusion of blooms making it aparticularly desirable plant for hanging basket arrangements.

The closest commercial cultivar to my new variety of which I am aware isthe Petunia plant named `Milton Bell Pink`. The distinguishingcharacteristics which are outstanding in the new cultivar and whichdistinguish it from `Milton Bell Pink` are:

    ______________________________________                                                `Liricashower Rose`                                                                        `Million Bell Pink`                                      ______________________________________                                        Habit     Creeping Vigorous                                                                            Erect Compact Growth                                           Growth                                                              Flower Size                                                                             2.9 cm         Smaller                                              Flower Color                                                                            Bright Purple Rose                                                                           Bright Purple Red                                              Lighter than `Million                                                         Bell Pink`                                                          Flower Throat                                                                           Light Green Yellow                                                                           Bright Green Yellow                                  Color                                                                         ______________________________________                                    

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings serve by color photographic means toillustrate the new plant variety, `Liricashower Rose`. The colors arerepresented as true as possible using conventional photographicprocedures.

FIG. 1 is a close-up view of multiple blooms illustrating the decumbent,compact habit; abundant branching; and large profusion of blooms.

FIG. 2 is a close-up view of a single bloom.

FIG. 3 is a view of the new cultivar in various stages of flowerdevelopment:

1. full bloom with stem

2. bud with stem

3. small bud (unopened)

4. side view of flower in full bloom

5. front view of the flower in full bloom

6. rear view of flower in full bloom

7. side view of partially opened flower

8. pistil and stamens of full bloom flower stage

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is based on observations and measurements ofpot grown plants in Salinas, Calif. Color designations were madeaccording to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart published byThe Royal Horticultural Society of London, England.

PLANT

Origin: Seedling

Parentage:

Female parent.--Unpatented and unnamed commerical market plant fromSouth America, breeder Code 1C-1.

Male parent.--Unpatented and unnamed commercial market plant from SouthAmerica, breeder code 3M-1.

Classification:

Family.--Solanaceae.

Genius.--Petunia.

Botanical.--Unknown; Petunia species.

Commercial.--Petunia `Liricashower Rose`.

Growth habit: Decumbent.

Plant height: 5-7 cm, will mound on itself.

Spreading area of the plant: Stems extend to a length of 40-50 cm for aspreading area of 80-100 cm (in a 4 inch pot).

Growth: Vigorous growth with excellent basal branching and a profusionof continuous flowers.

Blooming period: Continuously under moderate temperatures of 15-25degrees centigrade.

Resistance: Excellent resistance to rain, heat and drought.

Stem:

Thickness.--Main stem 2-2.5 mm; laterals 1-1.5 mm.

Color.--Yellowish green R.H.S. 143B with anthocyanin present on theaxial portion of the stem.

Pubescence.--Slight.

Branching.--Abundant.

Length of internode.--4 mm at base of stem to 2 cm near tips of stemsdependent on growing temperature.

Leaf:

Phyllotaxis.--Verticillate.

Leaf attaching angle.--Primarily vertical.

Shape.--Slightly oblanceolate and entire.

Shape of tip.--Acute.

Size(average).--9 mm long and 2 mm wide on smallest leaf in the whorl,2.5 cm long and 6 mm wide on largest in the whorl.

Thickness.--0.5 mm-0.8 mm.

Color.--Grayish green R.H.S. 137B.

Pubescence.--Slight.

Flowers:

Quantity.--Abundant.

Type.--Opens obliquely upward, single.

Shape.--Funnel shape, with 5 fissured limb, a gamopetalous corolla,slight indent on each petal.

Shape of tip.--Retuse.

Lobation.--None.

Undulation of margin.--None.

Diameter.--2.5 cm-2.9 cm when fully open.

Color.--Unopened stage: grayish lavender R.H.S. 97B with dark venationon upper 3 petals, no venation on the lower 2 petals.

Full bloom.--Opened; bright purplish ose R.H.S. 74A and fading slightlywith age to 74B, throat, white on lower portion to pale cream to lightgreen yellow tones on upper portion.

Reproductive organs.--One pistil, five stamens, 2 with long filamentsbending upward over the pistil and 3 short filaments, anther is yellow,filaments are white.

Peduncle.--Length is 1.5 mm on fully opened flowers, 0.6 mm on youngflowers.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named`Liricashower Rose`, as herein illustrated and described.